Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy
Laikipia, Northern Kenya
(Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy is located in the Northern
foothills of Mount Kenya about 250 Kilometers Northeast
of Nairobi. Lewa Downs is some 65 Kilometers North
of Nanyuki in an area known as Laikipia. From Nairobi,
you can either drive to Lewa Downs via Nanyuki (about
4 hours), or take a light plane to Lewa Downs airstrip
(about 45 minutes)
Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya
|
Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy Activities
|
 Mt.
Kenya views from Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy
|
Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy
Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy was
once a cattle ranch; it then became a heavily guarded
black rhino sanctuary, and it is now the headquarters
for a non-profit wildlife conservancy, which has gained
a world-wide reputation for extending the benefits
of conservation beyond its borders.
Lewa
Downs Conservancy
is a Private Game Sanctuary in the
Northern District of Kenya. This is an area of open
plains, long, waving yellowy-gray grasses and gently
rolling hills, rising in the distance.
As
one of Kenya's major private conservation successes
located at the foot of Mt. Kenya, Lewa
Downs Conservancy has been the
Craig family home since 1924 when the Craig grandparents
came from England and began raising cattle here. "Leave
room for the wildlife" has been the Craig ethic,
as the area is committed to the conservation of wildlife
and diverse habitats found on the northern slopes
of Mt Kenya.
Endangered
species abound in the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, most
famous around the world for their rhino conservation.
In
1995 the Craig family turned their entire farm on
the northern slopes of Mt Kenya into the Lewa Wildlife
Conservancy, with a mandate to protect and conserve
the wildlife of Kenya.
They had to convince the local communities to stop
seeing animals as competition for their cattle's grazing
and instead see them as a source of income. This was
achieved and many fences were taken down and old migration
routes were re-opened to the animals.
Lewa
Downs Conservancy
is now an area of outstanding natural beauty with
the Lewa River giving life to dense woodland and patches
of open savannah providing the perfect habitat for
a whole range of Kenya's animals.
Lewa
Safari Camp in Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy
|
Lewa
Wilderness Camp in Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy
|
 Borana
Lodge in Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy
|
Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy Accommodation
Lewa
Downs Conservancy Community
development projects have also proved successful,
and nearby areas have benefited from the Conservancy's
experience and support. Il Ngwesi is a 16,500 acre
(6,677ha) group ranch, which now includes a lodge,
is owned and run by the Laikipiak Masai. All profits
are returned to the community who are now avid supporters
of conservation.
Lewa
Downs Conservancy has developed a range of
activities for its visitors, allowing people to get
actively involved in conservation and community projects.
On the wildlife side these include day and night game
drives and nature walks, horse and camel rides, visits
to Lewa's orphaned animals and horseback rhino patrol
for experienced riders.
You
can also accompany the lion tracker to collect data
on the resident lion population or head for the Ngare
Ndare Forest Reserve in search of black and white
colobus monkeys.
On
the education/community side you can visit schools,
water schemes and other community development projects
or visit Lewa's prehistoric archaeological site where
stone hand axes are common and date back approximately
800,000-1 million years.
Lewa
Downs Conservancy in Kenya leads the way in
the transformation of private farms into Wildlife
Reserves and the safari experience in these places
is quite unique.
You
are often hosted by the owners and welcomed to a select
lodge catering for a small number of guests. Your
guides are usually people who know the area intimately,
which gives a greater depth to the whole experience.
Grevy
Zebra's in Lewa Downs Conservancy, Kenya
|
Aquatic Sitatunga
Antelope
in Lewa Downs Conservancy
|
 Lewa
Downs Game Drives by Horse Back Riding
|
Lewa
Wildlife Conservancy Animals & Birds
Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy
has grown and now supports an impressive array of
wildlife, much of it indigenous to the area. Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy
45,000
acre (18,211ha) area has more than 25% of the world's
threatened Grevy's zebra (there are approximately
only 3,000 left).
At
the end of 2002, eight new precious rhino calves were
born (4 white and 4 black rhino), bringing the steadily
increasing numbers to a healthy 32 indigenous black
rhino and 33 white rhino.
There
are of course a host of other animals native to this
part of East Africa including elephants and reticulated
giraffe who have bred so successfully, that Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy was
faced with an over population and had to relocate
some of them.
There
are thought to be only about 50 shy aquatic sitatunga
antelope in Kenya and Lewa Plains has about 20 living
in the swampy riverine areas of the reserve. Other
antelope to be seen in some numbers are eland, oryx,
impala and waterbuck. Predators are not here in great
numbers but lion, leopard and hyena are around.
Lewa
Downs Wildlife
Conservancy Seasons
The
days are usually hot and dry and the nights quite
cool. Typical Kenya seasons go something like this:
Rainy Season: The long hot and humid
rainy period starts around April and lasts until June
and then the short rains come during the warm months
of November and December.
Dry Season: January through to March
is hot and dry, while July to October are warm and
dry. The warm dry season is the best for game viewing
and for personal comfort.
Lewa
Downs Wildlife Conservancy
Highlights
*
Grevy's zebras
*
Black and White rhino
* Aquatic sitatunga antelope
* Rolling hills and riverine habitats
Lewa
Downs Conservancy Access
Lewa
Downs can be accessed by road From Nanyuki town head
north, reaching the Isiolo-Meru junction 50 Kilometers.
Turn left taking the road to Isiolo. Lewa Wildlife
Conservancy (Mutunda Gate) on left, 7 Kilometers from
junction.
